In applications such as electrical meters, fluid flow control valves, or camera aperture control elements, there is a need for a rugged transducer which can withstand the mechanical loading often encountered in their environments and which can be made at a cost compatible with their mass use in inexpensive products. In typical meter or actuator movements, a mechanical spring is employed to provide elastic restraint against the torque representative of the control or measurement signal. Such springs are a common area of meter failure or inaccuracy. In addition, the use of a spring in such instruments raises the cost of parts and construction.